Baldoz: Jobs, biz opportunities available for displaced OFWs in Taiwan

MANILA, Philippines - Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Wednesday said migrant Filipinos affected by the freeze hiring policy in Taiwan can turn to jobs in the Philippines and other destinations abroad available for the displaced workers.

"Those who are already here in the Philippines and those whose contracts are expiring and may not be able to go back to Taiwan can apply in the 129,180 available job vacancies as posted in the PhilJobNet, the official online job search and matching portal of the government which include the following positions: plant and machine operators and assemblers (13,544 vacancies); factory workers (6,040 positions); engineers and technicians (2,956 positions); and machinists (323 positions)," she said.

She said other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can also apply for skills training and upgrading in training centers accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Baldoz added that vacancies for production workers and caregivers are also available in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

"Based on balances of available job orders of licensed recruitment agencies approved by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, they can apply for work in these countries without need for further training/retraining," she said.

Aside from jobs, returning OFWs can also engage in business, she said.

"They may avail (themselves) of the government's entrepreneurial development assistance under the National Reintegration Program for OFWs which include training and capability-building, as well as business capital loans of P300,000 to P2 million from the P2 billion Reintegration Loan Fund offered by the Land Bank of the Philippines and guranteed by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration," she said.

Earlier reports said about 10,000 OFWs are at risk of losing their jobs in Taiwan after its government implemented the freeze hiring policy.

The measure followed a row between Taiwan and the Philippines when a Taiwanese fisherman was shot dead by the Philippine Coast Guard in the Balintang Channel in Batanes.